State of Maine Archives: on Budget & Economy

Charlie Summers: Wasteful spending, even on military, should be eliminated

Bruce Poliquin: Build a less intrusive and less expensive federal government

Less government spending and borrowing will allow taxes to be cut. Eliminating unnecessary regulations will make it less complicated and costly to start and run a business.

Chris Lyons: Market-led recovery better than stimulus

A: oppose

Eric Brakey: The government takes enough; we shouldn't raise taxes

Eric Brakey: Not just for economic freedom but also personal freedom

Janet Mills: Tax credit for new business will diversify economy

Janet Mills: History has shown that we cannot cut our way to prosperity

I have heard the calls of those who say we must spend a lot more, even if it means we must dip into our savings. This, too, we should not do. When you have a fever--or when your state has had a fever--you don't say, "Now, get up and run laps and do a hundred pushups." Recovery, getting back in shape, is not immediate, its course not always predictable. This budget, though, provides basic continuity, consistency and stability, something our state needs at this time. It is focused on recovery.

Janet Mills: Return half state surplus through direct checks to people

Mary Mayhew: Reduce taxes by deep budget cuts including family services

Matt Dunlap: Shore up availability of credit to stimulate job creation

Matt Dunlap: Shore up availability of credit to stimulate job creation

"I do think the wealthiest Americans benefited the most from the prosperity of recent decades. Those individuals and corporations should be responsible for reducing the deficit." Families are facing financial disaster with high unemployment--while Washington fails to take the steps needed to fix these problems. I believe there are plenty of people looking out for the big corporations. Maine families [need] a senator for them.

Paul LePage: Make the tough decisions to let American Dream survive

Maine families are struggling. Maine families struggle to heat their homes, fill their cars with gasoline, put food on the table, and pay for health insurance.

Government has not strengthened Maine families with more income, opportunity, or reducing the cost of living. Instead government has taken more and more of our family's hard working income away to serve some people's political and/or financial self-interests. The path forward offers two choices. We continue to accept the status quo or we can make the tough decisions to create a better Maine for everyone. We can only do this if we work together. Every Mainer deserves the opportunity to pursue the American Dream.

Paul LePage: Graded A by Cato Institute for cutting taxes, spending

Sara Gideon: COVID: prioritize small business, bolster unemployment funds

Gideon: We have to look at how we build back our economy in a way that supports those who need it most, including Mainers over the age of 50. That means prioritizing small businesses, not corporations, in the next round of federal relief; sending more funding to local governments to protect good-paying municipal jobs, to keep property taxes low, and to continue to bolster unemployment insurance to make sure Maine's seniors can get through this crisis & back on their feet.

Susan Collins: We tried & failed in 2005 to tighten mortgage regulations

But she said a 2005 House bill to tighten regulations was too weak, and that Allen voted against two amendments that would've strengthened it. That version died in the Senate. But a different bill, with the amendments, eventually became law last July.

Allen said the bigger problem is the economic policies of President Bush. He said they drove up the national debt. At the same time, there was a lack of oversight of Wall Street practices, Allen said. "The belief in letting the markets run their course has never been stronger than in this administration," he said.

Both Collins and Allen agreed that the revised version of the bailout vote was better than the first because it had added oversight and more safeguards for taxpayers.

Tom Allen: Bush administration's debt has failed middle-class America

Tom Allen: Driving up debt & unbridled free market caused bank crisis

But she said a 2005 House bill to tighten regulations was too weak, and that Allen voted against two amendments that would've strengthened it. That version died in the Senate. But a different bill, with the amendments, eventually became law last July.

Allen said the bigger problem is the economic policies of President Bush. He said they drove up the national debt. At the same time, there was a lack of oversight of Wall Street practices, Allen said. "The belief in letting the markets run their course has never been stronger than in this administration," he said.

Both Collins and Allen agreed that the revised version of the bailout vote was better than the first because it had added oversight and more safeguards for taxpayers.

Demi Kouzounas: ARPA is a $2 trillion tax hike proposal

Demi Kouzounas (R): Unclear. Opposed Biden's American Rescue Plan, calling it "a $2 trillion tax hike proposal." In 2018 was concerned Democrats in Maine would spend more and raise taxes.

Angus King (I): Raise. Voted for a 15% corporate minimum tax that closes "loopholes long exploited by massive corporations and the wealthiest Americans." Opposed the 2017 Trump tax bill.

David Costello: Boost investments in transportation, energy infrastructure

David will help in fostering a thriving economy and broader prosperity by supporting efforts to:
• Provide universal pre-kindergarten and aftercare.
• Boost investments in transportation, energy, and communications infrastructure.
• Spur scientific research and development (R&D).
• Raise the federal minimum wage and increase federal Child and Earned Income Tax Credits.
• Expand sustainable community and affordable housing development assistance.

Demi Kouzounas: End inflationary spending punishing hardworking Mainers

Ed Crockett: Invest in workforce development; support innovation

Robert Charles: If you double the budget it becomes unsustainable

What does that mean? It means if you double the budget in seven years, double taxes, in a place already struggling with the highest property, and near-highest total tax burden, it becomes unsustainable.

Shenna Bellows: Budget cuts and reversals don't make any sense

Hannah Pingree: $100 million a year to finance new housing construction

Maine needs to build more homes, faster, and ensure they remain affordable. Hannah will:
• Commit $100 million a year to finance new construction and preservation of much-need housing across Maine.
• Use smart and innovative incentives to leverage greater private sector investment in Maine's housing market, while ensuring long-term affordability.
• Utilize targeted incentive funds to ensure aging public housing & other types of available affordable housing isn't lost from the state's stock.

Troy Jackson: Create the Department of Housing Affordability

Graham Platner: Bring back serious federal support for building housing

Janet Mills: Repaired nearly 200 bridges, nearly 8,000 miles of roads

Janet Mills: Send an Affordability Relief check for $300 each

Troy Jackson: We're all getting crushed on healthcare; housing; heat

VIDEO: Jackson driving, as seen through windshield. AUDIO: "A dad who worked 16-hour days and that still wasn't enough." TEXT: Fifth Generation Logger

VIDEO: Men listening to police officers. AUDIO: So when they tried to replace us with foreign labor, I led a blockade of the border. TEXT: Loggers blockade crossing: Daily News, Oct. 20, 1998

VIDEO: Jackson driving, as seen from passenger seat. AUDIO: "Susan Collins didn't help us then, and she's certainly not helping us now." TEXT: Troy Jackson for Maine

VIDEO: Jackson talking to people. AUDIO: "We're all getting crushed out here. Healthcare; housing; heat. We've got to fight back. We're all hungry for it."

VIDEO: Jackson driving then shaking hands with a helmeted person. AUDIO: "Maine is ready for a change. I'm Troy Jackson. I'm running for Senate and I approve this message."

Hannah Pingree: Budget should invest in health care, housing, education

CHARLES: We are talking about a state that is spendthrift and the reason is we have no accountability whatsoever in the state. When you begin to do real oversight, you will find literally billions of dollars.

PINGREE: What we are spending money on is health care, education, revenue sharing a lot of these things go out to the community. I would work hard to ensure we have a balanced budget that invested in our health care system, that invests in housing, and ensures a quality education for our kids. It's not going to be easy. and honestly, the requirement is a balanced budget, and I will work to make government more efficient so we can meet that goal.

BENNETT: We have not had any transparency--in fact, no public hearings on the state budget. That is the reason the state budget has grown 77% in 10 years, twice the rate of inflation.

Rick Bennett: Budget grew 77% in 10 years: twice inflation rate

CHARLES: We are talking about a state that is spendthrift and the reason is we have no accountability whatsoever in the state. We need oversight [which would] find literally billions of dollars.

PINGREE: What we are spending money on is health care, education, revenue sharing a lot of these things go out to the community.

BENNETT: The ugly truth is that we have not had any transparency, public hearing on the largest bill that the legislature deals with every year, and that is the current services portion of the state budget. It has been six years since we have had a public hearing, and it is all because of a partisan failure, it means the budget needs to be passed by March, and it's frankly not enough time to do the full amount of public hearings -- in fact, no public hearings on the state budget. That is the reason the state budget has grown 77% in 10 years, twice the rate of inflation.

Robert Charles: Our state is spendthrift with no accountability

CHARLES: We are talking about a state that grew from $7.1 billion to $14 billion in eight years. That has never happened in the state of Maine and never anywhere in the United States. We are talking about a state that is spendthrift and the reason is we have no accountability whatsoever in the state. We are in an environment where we need oversight. When you begin to do real oversight, you will find literally billions of dollars.

PINGREE: I would work hard to ensure we have a balanced budget that invested in our health care system, that invests in housing, and ensures a quality education for our kids.

BENNETT: The ugly truth is that we have not had any transparency. It has been six years since we have had a public hearing. That is the reason the state budget has grown 77% in 10 years, twice the rate of inflation.